In this article I am going to cover a message I received yesterday. This is something that can be informative to anyone looking to take advantage of the opportunities that Hive presents.
Here is what was sent:
I feel like I'm stuck and even though I'm in one of my best moments (in terms of rewards) within the blockchain, I feel like I've hit my ceiling and I can't continue moving forward. Giving up is not an option and at least I will maintain the level, but I would like to advance further.
If you have any advice that you think could help me move a little further, don't hesitate to give it to me.
A very common situation that requires some addressing.
Before getting into it, we need to state that rewards are not the only metric to go by. In fact, it might be the worst one to chart our path forward. Certainly, none of us deny the importance of this. However, that should be the end result, not the focus.
That said let us dive into it.
I came up with 6 things that are required for success on Hive.
1. Long Term Focus
This is a given. Like most things in life, there are few overnight successes.
People need to give it time. This is a process that is going to take years. We are in the early stages of the industry meaning a lot of development is still required. The same is true for one's brand on Hive.
People want the instant gratification. This is a path to failure. The idea of coming to Hive and earning $1,000 on a post is bogus. Instead, expect a grind.
Do not think in terms of days or weeks. The proper perspective is years. Where will your account be in 5-10 years?
2. Use The Power Of Compounding
This not only apply to the financial aspect of things although that is critical.
Nothing on Hive has a singular impact. Use every [action as an opportunity to enhance whatever effects you are having. In the digital world, we call this the network effect.
It really boils down to doing more of the things that have an impact. To increase rewards, gain followers. There are many ways of going about that but the essence is taking action.
Like all aspects of compounding, the least results are seen in the early days. However, as time passes, you have more to compound. Here we could point to articles. If you have 3 written, most will not see you. However, if there are 5,000, then one stands out a bit more.
3. Consistency
This is one of the most vital components to success in any endeavor.
You are half way to victory simply by showing up each day. Why do I make that statement? Because most are not willing to do that.
When you show up and take daily action, the results start to flow. The digital world operates according to the "out of sight, out of mind" concept. If you are not around, you are forgotten.
Being serious about Hive means treating it like a business. That entails taking ownership for the results you are getting. These are out of our control but the actions that go into producing those results is not.
This is not a once in a while gig. No business is and any owner will tell you that. They end up working more hours than the employees. This is what happens when it is your show.
Your Hive account is just that, yours. With that comes the responsibility for what you do.
Show up once in a blue moon, then you will get the results that go along with that.
4. Engagement
This is social media, so be social.
Again, this is something that I thing gets lost on people. They believe that somehow the universe is going to attract all the people on Hive to them.
That isn't going to happen.
In fact, those who are the most successful on Hive tend to have the least time searching around for newer users. If you want to be seen, engage. That means leaving comments on other people's articles and videos. This also entails getting involved with Threads or Waves and chatting with people.
You articles are not likely to sell themselves. Engagement is our form of marketing. This is how we put our name in front of people. If you are not willing to do this, the results will speak for themselves.
5. Be Visible
I almost called this "be everywhere".
We are dealing with the attention economy. This means our focus is on gaining attention. The way to do this is to make ourselves visible.
To me, that means being all over the place. Our chances of being noticed increase the places people can see us. There are a number of stories on Hive of people who came here with no following yet were seen by some of the people with the most influence. This did not happen instantly but the individuals kept returning, making themselves seen.
6. Givers Get
This is another one that could have another name: stop focusing upon yourself.
I was once in a etwork group for sales which has the motto "giver's get". The idea was to build our business relationships by giving to others. There was a famous motivational speaker who use to say you can get anything you want if you help enough people to get what they want.
Most take the approach "what is in it for me?'. Ultimately, the answer is very little.
Yes we all have self serving needs. However, if you want to make an impact, look to approach things differently. If nothing else, you will stand out since almost all are only sharing and talking about their work.
This not only applies to individual components. It is also a factor in Hive in general. In my last article I discussed dedication. This is a part of it. Give to Hive over a long period of time to show others you are willing to do whatever is possible to help it expand.
Bonus: Stop Complaining
Here is a bonus for everyone.
Most are complainers. They want to bitch about their spouses, work, kids, politics or whatever. It matters none what the topic, they are going to complain about it.
Hive is no different. This place can get flooded with people who want to complain about anything others are doing. Of course, these people tend to do very little themselves other than tell all what is wrong.
Some of these people are foolish enough to think they are helping. There is a big difference between offering constructive criticism and complaining. This is something that should be clear to anyone.
Unfortunately, it is not.
That said, my observation is the complainers do not succeed. Here is the deal, nobody is forcing anyone to be here. If this place is so messed up and horrible, leave. Go away. There are plenty of other digital networks one can spend his or her time on.
Yet, we see some around for years, still complaining about the whales. Of course, look in their account and they have very little Hive (or any of the token to the project they are complaining about).
We are well aware things are not perfect on Hive. There are a number of issues that could use addressing. However, do not believe you are the only person wise enough to see them. Whatever one is bringing up, there is a good chance the issue was discussed until people were purple in the face.
Experiment And Innovate
The key is to keep trying new things.
None of us know what will lead to a major breakthrough. For that reason, keep expanding the stuff you are doing. Not everything is going to work out. Take massive action and chart what is making an impact.
For me, I found the best way to approach this is to put as much on chain as possible. Some developers have rolled out a lot of applications for people to use. Whatever your niche, keep expanding it.
We have a lot of applications, communities, and games that can use support. Start to approach those involved and ask what needs to be done.
It is amazing how few people are willing to do this. Actually, the quote I posted above was one of the few I received in 6 years on Hive.
That should tell you the drive most have for success. The masses are not even willing to ask how to get better.
To me, this individual already stands out more.